Valencia unleashes its dreams with a thrashing of Getafe

There were no tense faces or fear at Mestalla. Valencia transformed itself a few weeks ago into a reliable team that ended the suffering of its fans, who now truly realize their dream of being back in Europe. The match against Getafe was a reward from the start, a celebration, a thrashing amidst a sunbaked stadium where darkness often reigned. [ Narration and statistics: 3-0 ].

Pepelu 's penalty unleashed a pent-up desire that no one dared to verbalize. First, survival, then... whatever comes next. And that's just a guess to see how close or far away the Conference and Europa League titles are. It was unleashed by a pass from Javi Guerra to the right flank where Luis Rioja was running to cross into the six-yard box for Hugo Duro , who was mercilessly tackled by Alderete . Stripped of the anxiety of being on the tight rope, Pepelu, who was making his second consecutive start, looked to Soria, held his own, and slotted the ball just inside the post. In five minutes, the game seemed under control. In the next 40, it was over.

Getafe tried to shake off their sluggishness with a free kick from Alderete on the edge of the box that sent Mamardashvili soaring to deflect it for a corner and then save the subsequent shot from point-blank range. The match became tense with fouls that sparked protests from Mestalla, and it was difficult to find any fluidity in the game, which Corberán repeatedly demanded from the wing. The Blues' aggression had to be matched, but the Valencian coach's book says that this is achieved with dominance.

Javi Guerra repeatedly appeared in that role. His fight for Milla to the byline ended with a poor clearance from the Madrid native, which was converted into an assist for Diego López, who is infallible in the box. He unleashed a left-footed shot that caught Soria's hand, but he couldn't stop it from going in. Within 18 minutes, Valencia had won the match with a confidence impossible to imagine on that night of December 13 in Valladolid when, with 12 points, they had sunk to the bottom of the table.

No one forgets that, and it translates into cries of "Peter, go now," with the same pain as always but less anxiety, because the team has clung to the First Division and ambition. Perhaps it won't be enough, because the burden of the first half of the season was excessive, but they're chasing it even despite mistakes like Almeida 's one-on-one with David Soria. Diego López had shot it alone in front of the goalkeeper, and the Portuguese player missed the target.

Less than two minutes passed before Valencia made amends, ending the first half with a rout secured. Hugo Duro escaped on a counterattack against Domingos Duarte , leading to a penalty that risked red card. Cordero Vega and VAR forgave him, but Valencia's top scorer beat Soria to unleash a wild Valencia run in which he dominated a completely disfigured Getafe, only to be rescued by a header from Peter Federico, saved by an inspired Mamardashvili.

It's no surprise that Valencia fans looked at the standings at halftime and reinterpreted Karol G's lyrics that echoed around the pitch: What would have happened if they had met Corberán earlier? Since the start of 2025 under his command, they have 33 points, nine wins, six draws, and only three defeats in 18 matches.

This reliability is what explained why Getafe barely reacted in the second half despite Bordalás' substitutions. They protected themselves from expulsions by taking Alderete off the field and reinforced the left flank with Coba. The Valencia bench retconned things with a change of system and three central defenders to push forward. However, the match became marred by fouls and stoppages, like the one that caused the commotion and the substitution of André Almeida .

Valencia struggled to get close to the penalty area, and Getafe's legs allowed them to press with more tenacity than accuracy. The coaches were already looking ahead to the midweek fixture, and the pitch was filled with yellow cards and few chances. That's why the crowd, protesting Cordero Vega 's dribbling of foul decisions, preferred to celebrate. They hadn't enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 lead since September 2023 and amused themselves by chanting for Corberán for the first time this season and urging Enzo Barrenechea , on loan from Aston Villa, to stay at Mestalla.

That's the task now underway at a club that always goes into transfer markets with cobwebs in its pockets, even though this coach and these players, who have ignited a dream, deserve much more.